Badeh diverted NAF’s N558m monthly –Witness
The former Director of Finance and Account of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yushua (rtd) on Wednesday told Justice Okon Abang of a Federal High court how former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh defrauded the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) of the sum of N3.7b.
The retired military officer, who gave evidence during the trial of Badeh said the CDS committed the offence between year 2012 and 2014 when he was Chief of Air Staff and collected about N558 million monthly beside his monthly salary of more than N2m. Led in evidence by Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) lawyer to the EFCC, the witness told the court that NAF is funded through budgetary allocation under capital, over-head and personnel emolument sub-heads. He told the court that the amount budgeted and approved for NAF each year varies but that NAF received a little above N4b monthly for personnel emolument only.
“We usually receive a little above N4b monthly for personnel emolument, however, our total wage bill as at that time was over N2b including salaries and allowances. “After salaries and allowances are paid, we usually have balance of about N1.6b or N1.7b monthly. “Out of the amount, the sum of N558m is usually earmarked for Chief of Air staff control while the balance is disbursed to commands and directorate units for priority projects and training”. Yushau said the former CDS instructed that the N558m should be changed into United States dollar denomination and he (Yashau) in turn directed the finance officer to convert it into dollars. He, however, told the court that he had no written instruction because it was a verbal instruction. He further told the court that every month he and the finance officer took the sum in dollars to Badeh’s residence at Niger Barrack.
He said in January 2013, Badeh told him that he wanted to buy a house and he made inquiry and got a house in Ogun street, Maitama, through a friend. According to his evidence, Badeh inspected the house and paid N1.1b to purchase after being satisfied with the property after inspection. He said, “He directed that we should pay for the house after negotiation was completed. He brought the balance to make up N1.1b and I gave the money to Barrister Hussein Umar, who sold the house on behalf of the owner”. According to the witness, when Umar asked in whose name the house document should be prepared, he said it should be prepared in the name of Iyalikan Nig. Ltd, a company which the commission said Badeh has interest.
The witness continued, “sometimes in 2013, Badeh also approached him that he needed a plot and an engineer was brought, who sighted plot 1386 Oda Crescent, Wuse 2, which was later paid for at the cost of N650m after being satisfied”. He explained that in one month, he brought the sum of N558m to Badeh and he immediately used it to purchase the plot. Badeh, who was admitted to bail last week in the sum of N2b, is yet to perfect it. The trial continues on March 23, 2016.
